PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A metro Atlanta woman says her surgeon dismissed her complaints of severe pain and discharged her from the hospital, only for her to return days later with a potentially life-threatening condition.
Andrea Anderson says she has lived with diverticulitis for more than a decade, so she knew something was wrong after undergoing intestinal surgery last October at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
“When I had the surgery, the pain was going down. By day three, it started going back up. And I said, something’s not right,” Anderson said.
Doctors removed part of Anderson’s intestine, but she says the sharp, stabbing pain she felt during recovery was not normal.
“I’m in excruciating pain,” she recalled telling medical staff.
Anderson says an on-call physician expressed concerns about a possible blockage, but she claims her surgeon disagreed.
“When she came in, she puts hand sanitizer on and she said, ‘What are you still doing here?’ And I thought she was joking,” Anderson said. “She canceled everything. She was argumentative with me.”
Despite her objections, Anderson says the hospital discharged her.
“I just felt so frustrated,” she said.
Once home, Anderson says her pain intensified.
“I cried for two days,” she said. “I just want to know what’s going on with my body.”
Medical records reviewed by Channel 2 Action News show Anderson returned to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a liver infarction, a condition that restricts blood flow to the liver. She says she remained hospitalized for three days on blood thinners.
Wellstar later sent Anderson a letter stating, “We are sorry to hear about your experience,” and said it was “actively working to arrange for you to be seen by another physician within the practice.”
The hospital system declined an interview request but sent Channel 2 Action News this statement: “We believe every person should receive the highest quality of clinical care and patient experience, every time. We appreciate when patients share feedback and use it to improve care.”
“I’ve never been treated like that by any type of medical professional,” Anderson said.
Medical malpractice attorney Susan Witt says Anderson’s case reflects a larger issue impacting women nationwide.
“I’ve seen a number of cases where pain has been disregarded,” Witt said. “Patients having to come back three, four, or five times, particularly women, before they’re actually treated appropriately.”
A study published in the National Library of Medicine found disparities in how women’s pain is documented and treated. The report found female patients’ pain scores are 10% less likely to be recorded by nurses, and women spend an additional 30 minutes in emergency rooms compared with male patients.
Attorney Dax Lopez, a former DeKalb County judge who has handled dozens of malpractice cases, says many of the claims that make it to court involve the most serious outcomes.
“We see lots and lots of cases where there has been a breach of the standard of care,” Lopez said. “All those cases had catastrophic injury or death.”
Lopez and Witt say many patients do not realize they can push for a second opinion or request another provider if they feel their concerns are being ignored.
“There’s always ways to have somebody else take a second look at your case within the hospital,” Witt said.
Anderson says she wishes she had done more to insist someone listen.
“I feel like if she had stopped and said let me take care of patient properly, I wouldn’t have to go through all these different doors,” she said.
Anderson tells Channel 2 Action News her insurance provider is now investigating her claims.